Adjustable platform for railway-cars.



APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 19QB.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 F ll iu.

lllllll r INVENTOR W. ROBINSON.

ADJUSTABLE PLATFORM FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1908.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

4 SHBETS-SHEET 2;

INVENTOR w. ROBINSON.

ADJUSTABLE PLATFORM FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1908.

91 9,383 Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR W. ROBINSON;

ADJUSTABLE PLATFORM FOR RAILWAY CARS.

7 APPLIOATION FILED SEPT/21, 1908.

Patented Apr. 27, 1009.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR movable center platform arranged to extend in another means for accomplishing the rethe station be located on the inside of the WILLIAM ROBINSON,\OF BROOKLYN,NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE PLATFORM FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Application filed September 21, 1908. Serial No. 463,909.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WiLLIAM Rosrssorv, a. citizen of the 'United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and 1m 'roved Adjustable Platform for Railwayars, of which the following is a specification.

It is well known that where railway stations are located on the outside of curves, especially on subway or elevated railwa 's where the station platforms are elevated, i re center of the car is so far away from the station platform that it is impossible to use center doors in the cars to facilitate egress or ingress of passengers. On the other hand, if

curve the ordinary end platforms of the car will be so far away from the station platform as to render such an arrangement dangerous and impracticable.

The object of this invention is to obviate these disadvanta es and to provide ears with automatical y extensible platforms at the center of the car and at its ends, the

between the car-body and the station platform on the. outer side of a curved track, and the movable end latforms to extend between the car bo y and the station platform on the inner side of curves.

The nature of my invention will be understood from the description which follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a plan outline view of the lower part of a car frame showing, chiefly in dotted outline, one form of my invention as applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a car illustrating the same; Fig. 3 is a transverse section throu' h the line 3, 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is a longitudina section through the line 4, 4, Fig. 1; Fi 5 is a cross section through the line 5, 5, fl ig. 1; Fig. 6 is a p an view with portions of the car flooring cut away, showsu ts specified; Fig. 7 is a cross section through the line (w-6 Fig. (3; Fig. 8 shows means for adjusting both the center and the end movable platforms by the swiveling movement of one of the car trucks; Fig. 9 is a plan showin means for adjusting the movable end platl orms independently, and Fig. 10 shows a. detail of construction.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5: 10 repframe.

'tion platform 27.

l resents a car body )rovided with side doors across the same between the transverse" guides 13 which are rigidly secured to the car The brackets 14, also secured to the car frame, may also be used to prevent the vertical tipping or rocking of the truck frame 12. The rollers 15 secured to the truck frame 12 afford an easy movement of said frame between the timbers or guides 13.

The car bod 10 is provided, beneath the floor 18 with the transversely movable platform 17 which is provided at its sides with the racks 1.) secured thereto, while the truck 12 is provided approx mately at or near its center, with a similar rack 20. 'The shaft 21 is provided with the pinion 22 which meshes with the gear 23, which latter meshes with the rack 20. The gear 23 is supported pivotally in the hanger 24 and is pressed mto firm engagement with the rack 20 by the spring 25. The gears 26 secured to the shaft 21 mesh with the racks 19 at the sides of the movable platform 17. It is evident now that when t 1e car enters upon a curved track the truck 12 travels toward the outside of the curve, causing the rack 20 to 1'0- tate the gear 23, which in turn reverses the shaft 21 with its gears 22, 26. The gears 26 engaging the racks 19 cause the movable platform 17 to move in the same direction as the truck 12, all as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 3 the truck 12 is shown as having traveled towar 1e jhat is, toward the outside of the curve, relatively to the center of the car body, thus forcin the platform 17 outwardly in the same direction, as shown. It will be noted that the 0nd of the platform 17 fills u the space between the side of the car body and the sta- \Yhen a strai ht track is reached the truck 12 returns to 't 1e center of the car, thus withdrawing the platform 17 to its normal position under the car. \Vhen the track curves in the opposite direction however, the platform 17 is thrust out on the opposite side of the car. The difference in the relative distances traveled by the truck 12 and the platform 17 is determined by the relative difference in the number of teeth in the gears involved in the operation.

The shaft 21, as illustrated, is extended and at its ends is provided with gears 28 which mesh with pinions 29 on the countershafts thus imparting a rotation to said countershafts the reverse of that of the main shaft 21'.- The eountersha'fts 30 are provided with gears 31, which mesh with rocks 32 on the movable end platforms 33.

' From the foregoing it will he understood that the lateral movement of the center truck 12 relatively to the car body 10 forces the movable'center latforin 17 outwardly toward the station p at'form 27 on the outside of the curve, and the movable end platforms 33 in the opposite direction, toward the station platform 34, on the inside of the curve. (Figs. 6 and 9).

As illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 9 the center truck 12 is omitted and the movement ofthe adjustable platforms is secured by the swiveling movement of the usual car trucks.

In Figs. 6 and 7 thebell crank lever 35 is ivotally connected to the car body at 36 and has its long arm engaging the movable platform 17 adjustahly at 37, while its short end supports the floating lever 38 at 39. The bed crank levers 40 are pivoted. to the car body at 41, and from their shortends r spectively extend the connecting rods 42,

and one side of the truck 43, which engage ,pivotally the short end of the bell crank lever 3-5 and the center of the floating lever 38. The rod id engages pivotally one end ofthe floating lever 38 at l), while the rod 46 engages the opposite end of the lloat in lever 38 and the oiposite side of the ot er car truck47, as siown at a.

It will be seen that when the ear enters truck on its center, as. shown in Fig. -6, causes the rod-44 to ull on the end of the floating lever 38, while the rod 46 pushes the opposits end of the same lever in t-l same direetion. Thus the floating lever 38 is moved bodily, in this case, toward the center of the car. Thus this movement of the floating lever, acting upon the rods 42 and 43 causes the hell crank levers 40 to thrust the adjustable end platforms 33 out on the inside of the curve, while the central platform 17 is extended out in the opposite direction on the opposite side'of the car and of the, curve. It will be understood that when the car enters "11 one ieceo'f trackcurvin in the reverse direction all of'the described adjustable platforms will be reversed in their direction 0i travel relatively to the car bo d y.

In Big. 8 the described movements of the center and end adjustable platforms are shown as secured by the swiveling movement of one of the ordinary car trucks. In this case theT levers are has one end of its cross head a connected ivoted as shown at r 52 to the car body. Tie center lever 53 :inner end. of t The opposite end of said cross head 0 of the lever 53 connected by the rod 58 to the opposite side of the truck 47 at ($0, and by the rod 59 to the opposite end ef said cross head of of the lever 57. The cross head of the lever is also connected by the crossing rods 64-, to the cross head (1 of the? lever 62. The lever 53 is connected adjn. tably to the center adjustable platform 17, and the levers .57 and 62 are li WlS adjustably conmated to the end adjustable platforms 33, all as illustrated.

.Fig. 9 shows simplified means for moving the adjustable end platforms. The lever 48. made preferably with an open. center to get around the swiveling mechanism of the truck, is pivoted to the car body at 49. this lever is connected adjustahly to this1 truck at 50 and the outer of said lever similarly connected to the movable end platform 33 shown at 51. 'lhus when the car enters upon a curve said end platforms are extended outwardly toward the station platform on. the inner side of the curve, as heretofore described. in Fig. 7.6 means are shown for preventing undue wear in the slots of levers 4-8, 53, and others. iheslote g in the ends oi said lovers are and pro vided with sliding blocks f ough vlhicl'i extend the bolts lb conne ted to the movable platforms or trucks. Thus a irietional surl'ace is provided between said sliding lJlQCli and the slot sides, and the coupling: bolt ft has a heararound its periphery, thusweducing wear to a minimum.

simple and compare 'ively inexpensive and available when there are not too many obstructions connected to the framing under the car. in in 0st of the electrictrains hove er there are serious obstructions under cars, it is thought therefore that it will prove preferable to utilize the center truck 12 to operate and control the center movable latform 1? alone, and the means shown in Fig. 9 to operate the movable end platforms 33. This would leave room between the center and the end strucksfor the installation oi such electrical or othorequipment might be required.

.lt will he noted that where there is a station platform only on the outer side of the curve the movable end platforms 33'inay be omitted, the adjustable platform 17 meeting the requirements. Nevertheless this inven tion makes a platform on each side of the car on a curve available, and in this case passengers may be discharged from center doors at both sides of ll 1' car simultaneously, and if desired, adni cd from both platforms at both ends of the car at the same time. This will be clear from an inspection of Fig. 9.

Having thus described my invention what in connection with E1". 8 for accom lishin-- the results specified One end of;

p with said platform and um erases 'I claim as new and desire to secure by Let' ters Patent, is:

.1. In a railway car, an. all i Ustsble platform arranged to movo'laterall: relatively to the car body, and means for causing said car, on changing the direction of its line of travel, to automatically impart lateral motion to said platform.

2. In combination with a railway car, an adjustable platform supported thereby, and means connected to said platform and under control of said car, for causing said platform to move laterally relatively to the car body when said car changes the direction of line of travel.

3. In combination with railway car, an adjustable platform, and means under control of said car, for moving the same laterally relatively to the car bodv, the entrance of said car upon a curved tract: causing said latform to automatically extend ir-utwardly eyondthe side lines of the car.

4. In a railway car, an adjustable platform located between the ends of the car, means for moving the same laterally relatively to the car body, and means actuated by said car on enteim 'n curve, to extend said platform outwardly toward a station platform when located on the outside of said curve.

5. In combination with a railway car, a laterally adjustable platform located at or near the center thereof, means connected l r control of said car, for actuating said p. rm. the approach of said car to a station platform lo cated on the outside of a curve operating to extend said adjustable platform town d said station platform, and the entranm of said our upon a straight track operate. restore said adjustable platform to its norn'ial posi tion,

6. In a railway car, an adjustable platfi 1 located at or near the end of the car and arranged to move laterally relatively thereto, means under control of said our for causing said adjustable platform to project out- Wardlyfrom the car body when the car enters upon a curved track, and to return to its normal osition when the car enters upon a straight inc.

7. A railway car provided with a laterally adjustable platform located at or near the end of the car, means under control of said car for imparting lateral motion to said platform, the entrance of said car upon a curved track operating to cause said platform to project toward the inner side of said curve, and its entrance upon a straight track operating to restore said platform to its normal position.

8. In a railway 31" able platforms :1

v of adjustmove- Y ment relatively to the car body, means under control of said car for causing said platforms to project from opposite sides of said car when the latter enters upon a curved track, and to return to their normal osition when said car enters upon a strai ht inc.

9. In a railway car, a aterally movable platform located at the center of the car aterally movable platforms located at of near the ends thereof, means under control of said car for causing said central platform to project outwardly from one side of said car, and the end platforms to project from the opposite side of the car, when the latter enters upon a curved track, the entrance of said car upon a straight track causing said platforms to return to their normal position.

10. In a railway car, a transversely adjustable platform, and means for extending the same outwardly beyond the side lines of the car and restoring said platform to its normal position.

' 11. In a railway car an adjustable platform and means for automatically moving the same transversely relatively to the car body on the entrance of said car upon a curved track.

12. In combination, a railway car, an adjustable platform, a stationary platform located on a curved track, and means for causing said adjustable platform to automatically reduce the distance between said car and said stationary platform when said car approaches the latter.

13. In a railway carprovided with trucks, the combination therewith of transversely adjustable platforms, and means connecting said platforms to said trucks, whereby the movement of the latter from their normal position relatively to the car body will cause a transverse extension of said adjustable platforms, the return of said trucks to their normal position causing said platforms to return to their normal position. .1.

14. In a railway car, a transversely movable platform located at or near the center of the car, in combination with a transversely tween said truck and said movable platform, whereby the transverse movement of said truck will cause a similar transverse movement of said movable platform.

15. In a railway car, a transversely adjustable platform a rack and gearing connected thereto, and means for actuating said gearing to impart transverse motion to said platform relatively to the car body.

WILLIAM ROBINSON.

Witnesses E. M. H'ALLETT, GEORGE F. EBERT.

in l 

